R is for Relaxation
by DreamBrother
Summary: Written for Summer Alphabet Challenge 2007.Oneshot. A moment in time.


**Title:**** R is for ****Relaxation**

**Author:**DreamBrother

**Summary:**(Summer Alphabet Challenge 2007) Oneshot, a moment in time.

**Disclaimer:**_If_ I said they were mine, would you even believe me? But I'm not, so…no worries :D

**Author's Note:**So many, many R words. Be glad I didn't go the Michael Jackson 'Remember the Time' route. Ever had to get up early for an appointment when all you really want to do is curl back into bed 'cause it's looking so comfortable and the blanket is nice and soft and the temperature of the room is perfect? Of course you have, you're human. Meet the product of one of those moments for me. I think this scene popped up in the middle ground between an actual dream and lucidity. I should really train myself to write stories in my sleep; it seems to be my most productive period. Thanks to all those who review, you make it all worth it. Especially the anon. ones like Patty and Simanis, who I can't thank through email.

Excuse any typos.

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**R is for Relaxation**

Alan Eppes, sitting in an armchair concentrating on the Sudoku puzzle of the hour, looked up as he heard a key being inserted into the front door lock, the door opening to reveal the jacket-clad form of his firstborn.

''Don? I wasn't expecting you to come tonight,'' spoke up Alan from his sitting place.

''Hey Dad. Yeah, I know it's late but I couldn't be bothered to drive all the way to my apartment. Thought I'd crash here for tonight,'' replied Don, dispensing of his gun and badge and cuff-pouch, placing them carefully on the table by the door.

''I'm reasonably sure Charlie wouldn't mind you doing that,'' said Alan dryly.

''Only reasonably? What happened to pretty sure?'' queried Don, as he rifled through the letters on the table, a habit of his although he never found anything addressed to him.

''That depends on the number of times you call him Chuck,'' retorted Alan, a glint of humour in his eyes as he peered at his son over his spectacles, ''You hungry? I can heat up some leftover lasagne for you if you'd like.''

''Na, thanks but the team and I sprang for some pizza at the office. And if Charlie is sensitive to the Chuck, I'm sure I can come up with some suitable alternatives,'' grinned Don, the variations of his brother's hated nickname springing to the forefront of his mind.

Alan took a careful look at his son's posture and body language before asking, ''You finished with the case you were working on lately? You seem…I don't know…less tense and worried…''

''Is that so? As a matter of fact, we did. Paperwork and everything all finished up, and the AD told us to take the day off tomorrow so basically, I'm on mini-vacation,'' said Don, his joy at that fact evident in his smile.

''Don Eppes on vacation? Thought I'd never see the day. I would have thought grandchildren to be a more likely occurrence,'' replied Alan.

''Keep on undermining our confidence like that, Dad, and both will be extremely unlikely events,'' warned Don.

''What will be unlikely?'' asked Charlie, as he came into the house from the garage where he had been working since dinner and now meant to go to bed. ''Hey Don, when'd you get here?''

''Just a few minutes ago. Dad and I were just talking about whether you would ever kick me out of the house if I called you Chuck too many times. But of course, my favourite brother would never do that to me, right? '' asked Don, turning the question to a much more juicier topic.

''I'm your only brother. So a good idea would be to not test the possibility, wouldn't it?'' replied Charlie, even though there wasn't one reason he could think of that would make him turn _his_favourite (and only) brother away from his doorstep.

''You no fun, Chuck,'' sighed Don, as he sank into the chair next to where he had been standing, exhaustion lining those features which had previously relayed his relaxed attitude.

Alan, noticing that the day, make that week, was now catching up with Don, decided to leave the two brothers alone for the moment, knowing Charlie would be able to take care of his brother just fine, and that it would be good for the siblings to share a quiet moment before turning in, said ''As long as I'm not the one being kicked out of the house at the moment, I'm going to bed. See you both in the morning. Good night,'' and with that, made his way upstairs to his room.

''Night dad,'' chorused both his sons.

''You ok, Don?'' queried Charlie, after their father had gone, concerned by the sudden change in his brother's posture, from lightness to weariness in the space of a few seconds.

''I'm fine. Just been a long week. But it's all good now, got the day off tomorrow,'' replied Don quickly, wanting to ease his brother's unwarranted, although appreciated, concern.

''That's great. You guys needed one. And Larry will be glad, he'll be able to spend time with Megan,''

''A physicist and an FBI agent. Still weird, I say,'' commented Don, his eyes now closed even as he sat in the chair.

''No more weird than having a mathematician and an FBI agent in the same family,'' retorted back Charlie, and noticing how his brother was on the verge of dozing off right where he was, ordered ''Come on, no sleeping here, there's a bed waiting for you, it'd be a shame not to use it,''

''Since when did my geeky brother turn into a drill sergeant?'' grumbled Don, even as he heeded his brother's words and made to move upstairs, barely noticing his brother shadowing his movement, as though worried that he'd dose off in the process of making his way to his room, like a narcoleptic, and would need someone to prevent him doing a tumble down the stairs.

''Ever since I was old enough to realize that I live with one of the most stubborn people on this planet,''

''That's just crazy. Have you met everybody on the planet?'' quipped Don before he could help it. _Oh man, I really need to sleep before I start quoting more __rom__-com movies. __What a way to spoil my image._

The line struck Charlie familiar but he wasn't in a hurry to place it, ''I'm pretty sure my math can back my argument.''

By then, they had made it to Don's bedroom and Charlie helped his brother turn back the covers on his bed, revealing the crisp but comfortable sheets underneath. Don quickly took off his shoes and belt and plopped onto the bed, too tired to do anything else, and breathed ''Oh man, this is heaven,'' as he pressed into the pillows.

''Now that's a compliment of divine proportions. Glad you find the accommodations comfortable,'' smiled Charlie. ''Night, Don''

''Night, Chuck,'' mumbled Don, already halfway to la-la land.

''Call me Chuck one more time and you're sleeping in the backyard in a sleeping bag,'' warned Charlie but without any heat, not surprised when all he received in reply was a snore. Shaking his head, he turned off the lights and closed the door behind him.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

In the morning, Charlie sat at the kitchen table, eating the breakfast his father had made. He looked up as he heard his brother thump his way downstairs.

''Hey sleepyhead. Thought you were going to sleep away your day off,''

''Wouldn't mind that but I need coffee,'' replied Don, taking a quick sip out of Charlie's cup before disappearing into the kitchen to get his own.

''Hey, that's mine, get your own!'' protested Charlie, but Don was already gone, getting his caffeine fix. Although he had teased his brother on his later-than-usual waking time, he was pleased to see that the exhaustion from last night had left his brother and he looked more rested than he had for the past few weeks. When Don came back with his own cup of coffee, Charlie said, ''Hey, I don't have anything major planned for today. Wanna do something together? A movie? Maybe play some basketball or something?''

Looking up from a position that made Don look like he was trying to inhale his coffee through his nose, he replied, pleased at the offer and at the opportunity to spend time with his brother without any ulterior motives attached, ''Yeah, that'd be great. We'll do whatever you like after breakfast.''

''Sure. But one thing I wanted to ask you before that,'' said Charlie, with a glint of _something_ in his eyes.

''What's that, buddy?'' pressed Don when Charlie didn't ask the question.

''Since when do you watch romantic comedies, especially Hugh Grant ones?'' Charlie asked, grinning. He knew that line Don had made to his stubborn comment had been familiar. He had watched Two Week's Notice on DVD with Amita one night. All it took was a few minutes online and he had his answer. He had expected Don, the big bad FBI agent, to be the last person to watch 'chick flick' movies.

''Wha-at? I don't know what you're talking about, Chuckie,'' said Don flustered, the blush creeping up his cheeks belying his words. He tried to distract his brother, resorting to the tried and tested one of calling his brother by his hated nicknames.

''Don't call me Chuckie, and anyway, it won't work. Tell me, do you like Sleepless in Seattle or My Best Friend's Wedding? You just tell me which one and we'll rent it, and being the good brother that I am I will watch it with you,'' offered Charlie innocently, ecstatic by the redness in his brother's cheek. _Oh this is perfect blackmail material right here.__Time to get even, bro._

The End

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Quote is from Two Week's Notice, starring Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock. Popped out of nowhere. 

Ok, going to sound weird but, guys, you need to review! It's 8 30 in the morning and I have not slept and won't sleep peacefully till I get some reviews. Yes, I'm crazy, does that surprise you?

A few words would be nice. Have a great summer. Hope you liked.


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